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July 7, 2010

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UK police tighten net on fugitive

BRITISH police surrounded a picturesque village in northeast England yesterday as they closed in on a fugitive wanted for murder who has been on the run for four days.

Police also arrested two men once thought to be hostages of Raoul Thomas Moat, 37, who is wanted for allegedly wounding his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, killing her new boyfriend and shooting a police officer.

The two men were found walking on a road near Rothbury, about 50 kilometers north of Newcastle. The men, whose names haven't been released, are in police custody.

"I can confirm that both men are the people that we believe were the hostages," Detective Chief Superintendant Neil Adamson said. "Both have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder."

A car linked to Moat was found nearby, but the ex-nightclub bouncer remains at large, Adamson said.

Moat has been the target of a manhunt since Saturday, two days after he was released from prison after serving a short sentence.

Stobbart was wounded in the early hours of the morning and her boyfriend, 29-year-old karate instructor Chris Brown, was fatally shot.

Less than 24 hours later, Constable David Rathband was shot in Newcastle.

Yesterday, a newspaper printed extracts from a letter purportedly sent to police by Moat, which said he had "declared war" on them. In a second phone call, "I rang again and told them they're gonna pay for what they've done to me and Sam."

As they searched for Moat, police set up an exclusion zone in the area around Rothbury and advised residents to remain inside, but his letter said the public isn't in danger.

"The public need not fear me, but the police should as I won't stop until I'm dead," said the letter, which was published in the Sun tabloid.



 

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